No income tax payments for nearly half of us!

Early tax projections from the Tax Policy Center suggest that 45% of Americans will pay no federal income tax for 2009. Credits, deductions, and tax breaks have whittled down the federal income tax liability for most Americans -- from the poorest to the wealthiest -- such that many Americans will pay no tax or will receive a refund of all taxes paid into the system in 2009.

Shocking, isn't it? Not really.